And suddenly Yevgeny Prigozhin took the initiative. The Russian paramilitary group Wagner went into armed rebellion against Moscow on Friday night June 23. Since then, members of the Russian militia have been advancing towards Moscow, where President Vladimir Putin has vigorously condemned the “treason” of their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and has taken care to warn the West against any attempt to “take advantage” of the situation. The master of the Kremlin went so far as to evoke the risk of a “civil war”, facing Evguéni Prigojine who claims to have 25,000 men “ready to die”.
From the first accusations of the sulphurous Russian billionaire to the advances of his troops on Moscow this Saturday evening, a reminder of the main events of the last 24 hours:
Prigozhin calls for an uprising
Evguéni Prigojine accuses, Friday evening, the Russian army of having carried out deadly strikes on the camps of its fighters and calls to rise against the Russian military command. He claims to have 25,000 fighters and says he wants to lead a “march for justice”. He defends himself against any “military coup”. The Russian security services (FSB) open an investigation for “call for armed mutiny” and demand the arrest of the head of Wagner.
Wagner’s troops enter Russia
Prigozhin claims in the early hours of Saturday (Moscow time) that his troops have entered Russian territory and that he “will go all the way”. He assures that his forces, ready to die for “the fatherland” and “to liberate the Russian people”, shot down a Russian military helicopter.
The White House says it is monitoring the situation, US President Joe Biden is being kept informed. Moscow, the region of Rostov, neighboring Ukraine, and that of Lipetsk (420 km south of the capital) announce reinforced security measures.
Wagner in Rostov
At 5:30 a.m., Yevgeny Prigojine declared having seized the Russian army headquarters in Rostov, a key center for the Russian assault against Ukraine, and having taken control of military sites, including an airfield. An “anti-terrorist operation regime” is established in Moscow and its region, a measure which reinforces the powers of the security services.
Fighting in Russia
© / afp.com/Valentin RAKOVSKY, Valentina BRESCHI, Sabrina BLANCHARD
Putin denounces a “treason”
In a televised address, Vladimir Putin accuses Prigozhin of having “betrayed” Russia because of his “excessive ambitions”, swears “not to let” a new “civil war” occur in Russia and promises measures ” firm” against the “deadly threat” posed by Wagner’s armed rebellion. He admits a “difficult” situation in Rostov.
The Russian army is carrying out “combat” operations in the Voronezh region, halfway between Moscow and Rostov, according to local authorities. Yevgueni Prigozhin responds to Vladimir Putin’s speech: “The president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots. No one is going to surrender at the request of the president, the security services or anyone else.”
The situation closely monitored abroad
The countries of the European Union and the G7 say they are monitoring the situation closely. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calls on “all parties to be responsible and to protect civilians”. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky believes that “Russia’s weakness is obvious” and asserts that “Ukraine is capable of protecting Europe against contamination by Russian evil and chaos”.
Vladimir Putin talks on the phone with his Belarusian counterparts Alexander Lukashenko and Kazakh Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, allies of Moscow to inform them of the situation.
Wagner reported in Voronezh
Russian authorities say they are fighting a major fire at a fuel depot in Voronezh, 550 km south of Moscow, where Wagner’s presence has been reported. The population of the Lipetsk region is called upon to stay at home.
Kadyrov sends reinforcements
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov announces that he is sending his men to “zones of tension”. “We will do everything to preserve the unity of Russia,” he said. Vladimir Putin receives “full support” from his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a telephone interview, according to the Kremlin.
Wagner advances towards Moscow
Wagner fighters have entered the Lipetsk region, local authorities announce, confirming their progress towards Moscow. Latvia is strengthening security at its borders and no longer allowing Russians to enter its territory.
The Kaluga region, 180 km south of Moscow, restricts movement. In Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin considers the situation “difficult” and warns that traffic could be blocked in certain districts of the capital. He declares Monday a day off.